Activists urge Malawi immigration to respect human rights

The Executive Secretary of Malawi’s Human Rights Commission (MHRC), an agency that ensures and promotes human rights issues in the country, Aubrey Mvula, on Wednesday said that the country’s immigration authorities should ensure that accountability, transparency and honesty are put into practice when performing their duties.

He was speaking in an interview in Lilongwe following allegations that the department was issuing Malawi passports to foreigners, including Nigerians, Burundians, Rwandans and other nationals without following proper procedures.

"Foreigners are supposed to be given Malawi passports after a verification exercise has been done that they have stayed in the country for more than seven years," he said.

He added that it was disappointing to note that while indigenous Malawians struggled to get a passport at the immigration department, foreigners managed to have a passport issued to them within hours.

"We are appealing to the anti-graft body to investigate the practices at the Immigration Department, otherwise Malawi shall be sold to foreigners in such malpractices," he said.

Immigration Department Spokesperson Prudensiana Makalamba said the allegations are very serious and will be looked into and would take whoever is involved in the scam to book," he said.